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Blind resident praises new accessible pedestrian signals; staff says rollout will expand
Summary
A meeting speaker who is blind praised newly installed accessible pedestrian signals at State Street and Center Street. A staff member described new APS features, said the agency has begun deploying them and invited residents to identify priorities.
A resident who said they are blind praised newly installed accessible pedestrian signals at the intersection of State Street and Center Street during a meeting, and a staff member said the agency has begun deploying upgraded accessible pedestrian signal (APS) devices and plans to convert existing signals over time.
The resident said the devices give “such independence.” “I have a job as a blind person,” the resident said, adding that the audible and tactile signals provide reassurance when crossing. The resident also thanked a person named Deegan for assistance and said they keep Deegan’s contact information on a sticky note so issues can be reported quickly.
A staff member described the devices’ capabilities and the rollout. “We started deploying the new APS buttons or these accessible buttons that have a lot more features,” the staff member said. “They talk to you. They vibrate. There's a an app you can use on your phone.” The staff member said the agency can respond when an issue is reported and asked residents to provide priority locations as the conversion proceeds: “if you've got some priorities, let me know.”
Meeting remarks identified specific features and a nearby installation: the staff member referenced Center Street and said the new button “traveling west” speaks to pedestrians. The resident said the signals help ensure they are aligned with traffic and noted the reassurance of the audible prompts: “Wait. You cross State Street at Center Street.”
Discussion was descriptive and focused on device features, user experience, and operational follow-up; no formal motions or votes were recorded on the topic. The staff member’s remarks indicated an ongoing deployment effort and a willingness to place devices where needed, and the resident expressed gratitude and encouragement for broader conversion.
The comments underscore accessibility and pedestrian-safety concerns for people with visual impairments at the local intersection. The staff member encouraged people needing devices or repairs to report them so staff can investigate and make adjustments.
